Dry-cleaning system



P. F. SMITH AND l. A. LUKE.

DRY CLEANING SYSTEM.

APPUCATION FILED JUNE 12, 1920.

' Patented July 26, 1921. n

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P. F. SMITH AND J. A. LUKE.

DRY CLEANING SYSTEM.

APPLICATioN FILED JUNE 12. 1920.

Patented July 26, 1921.

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uUNITED sTATas PATENT lolFllcl..l

PAUL F. SMITH AND JAMES A. LUKE, or SALT LAKE CITY, TAH.

DRY-CLEANING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 26, 1921. Application led June 12,

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that we, PAUL F. SMITH and 'JAMES A. LUKE, citizens of the United States, residing-at Salt Lake City, 1n the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dry-Cleaning Systems, used in dry-cleanin e othes-washmg machines, and we do here y declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention.

In the usual dry process of cleaning clothes and other fabrics by the use of washing machines, the customary mode of procedure is to place in the washer about'five pounds of dry cotton rags to absorb the moisture inthe gasolene, and these rags are agitated about five minutes in the detergent to prepare it for the clothes washing. These rags are then removed from the washer andl placed in an extractor for the purpose of extracting gasolene and water therefrom. The water and gasolene are run off in a bucket and allowed to settle, the gasolene rising to the top and is recovered, the water being dispensed with, and the rags are then hun out to dry.

T e next customary mode of procedure is to place the clothing in the washer and Vfurnish gasolene, naphtha, or other liquid detergent or cleansing fiuid to the interior of the washer, together with additional cleansing material, as soap, agitate the contents for say twenty minutes,and when the clothin has been suilicientlyagitated and cleanse the cleansing fluid is drained off in a settling tank, and a new supply of gasolene, or distilled gasolene or cleansing fiuid, is pumped into the washer for the purpose of rinsing the fabrics or clothing that have previously been washed, requiring additional time and agitation. The detergent is then returned to the settling tank, and the fabrics and clothing are removed from the washing machine and placed in a centrifugal extractor for the purpose of extracting the cleansing fluid from the'fabrics, which fluid is drained into one of the above mentioned settling tanks.

The fabrics or clothing are now dried, either by placing themin a drying room and then subjecting them to a dust wheel, or by a dryin tumbler in the presence of hot air forced t erein. In either event the clothing is subjected to more wear, and the breaking of. buttons, and other objec- 1920. serial No. 388,497.

which entails a loss of at least 25% ofthe gasolene, or naphtha, and the entire loss of all soap values therein.

The object of our invention is to produce a process, and means, for carrying out the process, whereby a continuous circulation of the'liquid detergent is maintained between the source of supply of the detergent and the washing machine, and the liquid detergent is cleansed and purified-immediately after use, without necessity for settling or distilling, and then returned as a clarified liquid directly to the washing machine, consequently eliminating the necessity for rinsof the clothing.

ing

n carrying out our invention we utilize in connection with the washing machine or machines, a tank for receiving the soiled ,detergent from the washing machines and by a pump convey the soiled gasolene from this tank to a filter', which is of the centrifugal extractor type, and from thence return the purified machines.

The filter or extractor is also constructed of novel form and is made up of combinations and arrangements of parts whereby the pervious rililes, or walls thereof, are rendered efficient in gathering the dirt, grease, and solid matter previously extracted from the clothing or fabric in the washers, and in eliminating and separating the dirt and grease from the detergent or'cleansing Huid, as the fluid passes through the rilles forming the Walls of the filter.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of our invention, in which the several parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode we have thus far devised for the .practical application of the principles of our invention, and which excmplification has been found satisfactory, efiicient, and economical in producing the results to be accomplished as the objects of our invention.

It will be understood however, that the gasolene to the washing machine or embodiment illustrated is a mere exemplification of one form of the invention, and thatcolorable-changes may be made in the invention within the scope of the appendedcessivc rifiles forming the pervious wallsl of the basket of the filter.-

Fig. 4 is a plan view of an additional filter riffle, with the covered lriffie bars arranged in vertical and obliquepositions.'

Y, Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a riflie and rifiie bar, showing the latter covered with fabric, as canvas.

In the referred form of the invention as illustrated) in the drawings, especiall Fig. 1', Ithe washing machine is of any well nown type', fashioned in suitable form and of proper size, and supported above the fioor orground.

The dirt laden detergent or cleansing fiuid, such as gasolene, naphtha, or the like. after performing its function in the washing machine, passes from the washer 1 throu h one or more discharge pipes 2 connecteg to the bottom of the washer and eX- tending vertically to the receiving tank 3,.

preferably located 4beneath the surface of the floor or ground, and formed with a conical bottom 4.-.

The dischargev pipe for the gasolene extends to the receiving tank for the admission of dirt laden cleansing fluid, and a suction pipe 5, which terminates near thebottom of the receiving tank is connected to the main suction pipe 6 for drawing the gasolene therefrom.

A pump 7 is interposed in the lipe 6,

. which forces the dirt laden gasolene t rough the pipe 6 to a filter 8, which is in the na- 4 ture of a centrifugal extractor or filter, and

located abovethe washing machine in order that the clarified or purified gasolene may How by gravity from the filter to the washinmachine.

resh gasolenemay be drawn from the tank 3 provided w1th the usual conical bottpm 4 and also located beneath the ground line. A suction pipe 5 from the fresh gasolene. tank 3 is connected to the filter pipe 6 above the pump 7 and also below the pump by branch pipel 5*. By manlpulatmg the Several valves V, V and V .through the perforated nozzle or in the i es, the passageof fresh gasolene, l and sol aden gasolene,'may lbe controlled, and when fresh' gasolene fis usedthe valve V is closed. The fresh gasolene then flows throu h pipe to pipe 9.

Ini 2 it will be seen that the body 8 of the lter is preferably made of sheet metal with a cast bottom 10, and a similarA top ring 11, above which is provided a hood 11 to prevent splash ofliqu1d,and to retain the vapor within the dev1ce. The driving shaft 12 is journaled .at 13 in the bottom of the filter, andv this shaft projects upwardly a suitable distance to receive the basket indicated as a whole by the numeral14, the imperforate bottom 15 of the basket being secured on the head of the shaft to? revolve therewith. The basket is designed to receive the liquid detergent yto Abe cleansed pipe 15' and the basket is spaced' within the filter 8 to providean annular space or chamber 16 around the basket and within the filter.

The 4basket is formed with walls that are pervious to the liquid detergent, as gasolene, and these walls are made up of a plurality of rifiies, of canvas layers, and of other materials of different mesh, that will permit passage therethrough of the liquid deternt. geAs an example of the construction of the basket walls of the filter, attention is particularly called to Fig. 3, whereinthe inner shell 17 is of canvas, forming the inner surface of the basket, and this surface is smooth, and soft, to prevent friction and possible ignition, from metallic or other hard materials.

A canvas rifiie I8 is located outside the shield 17, this rile, as is the' case with the shield and the other riies, being a circular, flexible, pervious band, which, when made up of'fabrics has a selvage edge te render it more durable. Upon the inner vertical surface of the rifiie 18 are provided riiiie bars 19` and 20,` preferably of wood and spaced apart at regular intervals around the inner surface of the riffle, andas seen in the drawg ings, these bars 19 20 are preferably-of alternate sizes, but made up of uniform sets. The bars are uncovered, the wood strips bein stitched in suitable manner to the fiexib e or canvas rifiie, and readily detachable therefrom when required. v A

Concentric with and outside the riflie 18 a'planerile 21, similar to the shield 17, is provided, and this rile isvsucceeded by the concentric canvas rifiie 22 which is provided with vertically arranged riiiie bars 23 of wood strips, uncovered, and stitched to the canvas rifiie 22.

Outside the canvas riifiev a retieulated an-4 nular screen 24, of wire mesh, is located, being coveredv with the inner and outer layers 25 and 26 respectively, of canvas, and a thickness of felt, as 27, is located between this metal screen and the perforated thin metallic plate 28, also inclosed by the layers of canvas 29 and 30, similar to the reticulated screen 24.

The exterior canvas riifle 31 surrounding these successive partitions is provided with a series of intermediate, vertically arranged riiile bars 32 at its inner side, and also two rows of angularly disposed riile bars 33 and 34, which are preferably `canvas covered, as at 35.

These successive pervious, annular partitions of different permeability are all adapted to permit passage of liquid detergent therethrough, and they are 'built up and braced, and supported from the bottom or other portion of the basket in such manner as to provide stable wall-structures for the revolvin basket, through which the detergent is orced by centrifugal action.

The several riiiles and metallic screens form a wall of suicient strength to resist the pressure due to the action of the revolvingv basket, and yet the riiiies or layers are so re ated as to permit the detergent to permeate and pass therethrough.I The riflic bars, as the rifiles revolve, perform the function of gathering and retaining the major portion of the coarse dirt and sediment as it has been softened b the detergent and extracted from' the clot ing in the washing machine. The alternately arran ed large and smaller riile bars on the ri e 18 are utilized to gather deposits of coarse and finer sediment, and the smaller riiie bars on the outer rifiies 22 and 31 are designed to gather the very fine sediment, and these and other riliies are taken out from time to time and cleaned of their deposits, as required.

The composition of the pervlous walls of the basket may be varied, and canvas riilles with plaits in them may be used as riiiie bars in conjunction with the riiile bars described as being made of wood. Canvas of fine or coarse texture may be used and the mesh of the metallic screens may also be varied in use, and similar changes are contemplated in the weight or thickness of the felt, and the number of riles maybe varied, in order to adapt the pervious basket walls for va-v rious conditions.

We have found that at least one half of the cleansing properties of the soap solution remains in the filtered gasolene as it is returned to the washing machine from the gasolene iilter, thus saving considerable in expense of maintaining the soapy condition of the detergent, and at the same time all atmospheric moisture is relieved from the gasolene. In view of the fact that the detergent or gasolene, used herein, does not require heating, no loss of gasolene is Sustained by evaporation due to heating. By the utilization of our process and cleansing means, the clothing'is cleaned in the washer,

and as a result of this treatment, a fine and pleasing feeling and appearance of the cleaned and dri d clothing is attained.

What we claim is- 1. A closed dry cleaning system adapted to continuously clrculate the cleansing liquid comprising in combination a dry cleaning machine, a receiving tank and a drain pipe from said machine to the tank for the dirt laden cleansing iuid, a pipe line from the tank and a pump in said line, a filtering device connected to the pump, and a supply pipe from said filter to the dry cleaning machine.

2. A closed `dry cleaning system adapted to continuously circulate the cleansing liquid comprising in combination a dry c eaning machine, a receiving tank and a drain pipe from said machine to the tank for the dirt laden cleansing liquid, a pipe line from the tank and a pump in saidline, a supply tank connected to the pump, a filtering device connected to the pump, and a supply pipe from said filter to the dry cleaning machine. v 3. A dry cleaning process which consists in placing soiled clothes in a dry cleaning machine, supplying cleansing liquid thereto, continuously withdrawing dirt-laden cleansing liquid from said machine, filtering it and continuously returning to thedry cleaning machine.

PAUL F. SMITH. JAMES A. LUKE. 

